iPhone: The 12th Icon

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

11 Jun 2007 06:06 AM

Have you seen the iPhone mock up on Apple's website? It features some pretty colorful icons that promise that the iPhone will do all sorts of great features. There are four icons at the bottom: Phone, Mail, Web and iPod, that show off the standard functionality of the iPhone. But on the rest of the screen, there are other icons, eleven to be exact, lined up along the screen like little soldiers. Well, lined up like little soldiers who are waiting for their last comrade to arrive. There appears to be one icon that is missing.

Maybe I am the only one who is picky enough to notice the gap. But, I find it hard to believe that Apple would leave the absence there. After all, Apple is a company that is very design obsessed about the look of their products. So why would they leave what is essentially a hole?

I honestly don't think they will. I mean it is possible that they will release the phone as is and then upgrade later, but I have a feeling that we are in for a surprise with the last icon. Perhaps Apple is doing this on purpose just to create more buzz (if that is possible) around the iPhone.

Have you ever seen the kids' television show, "Mickey Mouse Club House?" It is one of my daughter's favorite DVDs. In the show, viewers help Mickey and his crew solve problems using "tools." Most of the tools are simple ones, but there is always a "Mystery Mouse-ca-tool," that usually isn't revealed until it is needed. For some reason, I think of that show when I see the iPhone mock up.

So what could the twelfth icon represent? There are a couple of possibilities. One strong possibility is YouTube. YouTube and Apple seem to be good friends in their opposition to Microsoft. And YouTube works well with Apple's code.

Another possibility is Movies. Apple is currently in talks with major movie studios about adding movies for rental and online viewing with iTunes. The fact that the negotiations aren't complete could mean the absence of an icon. But, Movies would take up a lot of the iPhones limited space. And, movies may already be able to be viewed through the iPod or photos features.

What do you think? Will there be a 12th icon, and if so, what will it be?

Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Frugal Living Blog here at Families.com, where she shares money saving tips for today's families.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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